Mark Mattson

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Mark Mattson
Mark Mattson.JPG
Mark Mattson in 2009
Alma mater
Scientific career
Institutions Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Mark P. MattsonPh.D., is an adjunct professor of neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Contents

Early life and education

Mattson received his B.S. in Zoology from Iowa State University in 1979, his M.S. in Biology at University of North Texas (originally North Texas State University) in 1982, and his Ph.D. in Biology at the University of Iowa in 1986. [1] He was then a postdoctoral fellow at Colorado State University. [2]

Career

Mattson is the former chief of the Laboratory of Neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Aging. [3]

Mattson has done research on intermittent fasting. [4] [5] The National Institute of Health considers him "one of the world’s top experts on the potential cognitive and physical health benefits of intermittent fasting". [3] [6] He is author of the book The Intermittent Fasting Revolution: The Science of Optimizing Health and Enhancing Performance. [7] Mattson's research has also elucidated roles for the neurotransmitter glutamate in neuroplasticity and Alzheimer's disease. He is the author of the book Sculptor and Destroyer: Tales of Glutamate - the Brain's Most Important Neurotransmitter. [8] He also hosts a podcast called Brain Ponderings, on which he interviews prominent neuroscientists about their life and work. [9]

5:2 diet

The 5:2 diet, a form of intermittent fasting, was first documented in a 2011 article co-authored by Michelle Harvie, Mattson, and 14 additional scientists. [10] [11] [12] The 5:2 does not follow a particular food pattern, but instead focuses entirely on calorie content. [13] In other words, two days of the week are devoted to consumption of approximately 500 to 600 calories, or about 25% of regular daily caloric intake, with normal calorie intake during the other five days of the week. The diet was later popularized in the UK and Australia by Michael Mosley though the 2012 BBC documentary Eat, Fast and Live Longer (in which he learned about the 5:2 diet from Mattson who also appeared in the documentary). [11] [14] It also became common in Australia. [15] [16] [17]

Awards and recognition

Mattson was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for research revealing the cellular mechanisms involved in neural plasticity — the ability of neurons to adapt during processes like learning or injury — and development of neurodegenerative disorders. He is the recipient of the Alzheimer's Association Zenith Award, the Metropolitan Life Foundation Medical Research Award, and the Santiago Grisolia Chair Prize. He was as the founding editor and editor-in-chief of NeuroMolecular Medicine and Ageing Research Reviews . [3]

On June 3, 2019, the international symposium Pathways towards and away from Brain Health was held to honor him on his retirement from the NIH. [3]

Selected publications

Book

Selected journal articles

Related Research Articles

Dieting is the practice of eating food in a regulated way to decrease, maintain, or increase body weight, or to prevent and treat diseases such as diabetes and obesity. As weight loss depends on calorie intake, different kinds of calorie-reduced diets, such as those emphasising particular macronutrients, have been shown to be no more effective than one another. As weight regain is common, diet success is best predicted by long-term adherence. Regardless, the outcome of a diet can vary widely depending on the individual.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neuron</span> Electrically excitable cell found in the nervous system of animals

Within a nervous system, a neuron, neurone, or nerve cell is an electrically excitable cell that fires electric signals called action potentials across a neural network. Neurons communicate with other cells via synapses, which are specialized connections that commonly use minute amounts of chemical neurotransmitters to pass the electric signal from the presynaptic neuron to the target cell through the synaptic gap.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neurotransmitter</span> Chemical substance that enables neurotransmission

A neurotransmitter is a signaling molecule secreted by a neuron to affect another cell across a synapse. The cell receiving the signal, or target cell, may be another neuron, but could also be a gland or muscle cell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ketosis</span> Using body fats as fuel instead of carbohydrates

Ketosis is a metabolic state characterized by elevated levels of ketone bodies in the blood or urine. Physiological ketosis is a normal response to low glucose availability, such as low-carbohydrate diets or fasting, that provides an additional energy source for the brain in the form of ketones. In physiological ketosis, ketones in the blood are elevated above baseline levels, but the body's acid–base homeostasis is maintained. This contrasts with ketoacidosis, an uncontrolled production of ketones that occurs in pathologic states and causes a metabolic acidosis, which is a medical emergency. Ketoacidosis is most commonly the result of complete insulin deficiency in type 1 diabetes or late-stage type 2 diabetes. Ketone levels can be measured in blood, urine or breath and are generally between 0.5 and 3.0 millimolar (mM) in physiological ketosis, while ketoacidosis may cause blood concentrations greater than 10 mM.

Fasting is the abstention from eating and sometimes drinking. From a purely physiological context, "fasting" may refer to the metabolic status of a person who has not eaten overnight, or to the metabolic state achieved after complete digestion and absorption of a meal. Metabolic changes in the fasting state begin after absorption of a meal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NMDA receptor</span> Glutamate receptor and ion channel protein found in nerve cells

The N-methyl-D-aspartatereceptor (also known as the NMDA receptor or NMDAR), is a glutamate receptor and ion channel found in neurons. The NMDA receptor is one of three types of ionotropic glutamate receptors, the other two being AMPA and kainate receptors. Depending on its subunit composition, its ligands are glutamate and glycine (or D-serine). However, the binding of the ligands is typically not sufficient to open the channel as it may be blocked by Mg2+ ions which are only removed when the neuron is sufficiently depolarized. Thus, the channel acts as a “coincidence detector” and only once both of these conditions are met, the channel opens and it allows positively charged ions (cations) to flow through the cell membrane. The NMDA receptor is thought to be very important for controlling synaptic plasticity and mediating learning and memory functions.

Aging of the brain is a process of transformation of the brain in older age, including changes all individuals experience and those of illness. Usually this refers to humans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astrocyte</span> Type of brain cell

Astrocytes, also known collectively as astroglia, are characteristic star-shaped glial cells in the brain and spinal cord. They perform many functions, including biochemical control of endothelial cells that form the blood–brain barrier, provision of nutrients to the nervous tissue, maintenance of extracellular ion balance, regulation of cerebral blood flow, and a role in the repair and scarring process of the brain and spinal cord following infection and traumatic injuries. The proportion of astrocytes in the brain is not well defined; depending on the counting technique used, studies have found that the astrocyte proportion varies by region and ranges from 20% to around 40% of all glia. Another study reports that astrocytes are the most numerous cell type in the brain. Astrocytes are the major source of cholesterol in the central nervous system. Apolipoprotein E transports cholesterol from astrocytes to neurons and other glial cells, regulating cell signaling in the brain. Astrocytes in humans are more than twenty times larger than in rodent brains, and make contact with more than ten times the number of synapses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Excitotoxicity</span> Process that kills nerve cells

In excitotoxicity, nerve cells suffer damage or death when the levels of otherwise necessary and safe neurotransmitters such as glutamate become pathologically high, resulting in excessive stimulation of receptors. For example, when glutamate receptors such as the NMDA receptor or AMPA receptor encounter excessive levels of the excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate, significant neuronal damage might ensue. Excess glutamate allows high levels of calcium ions (Ca2+) to enter the cell. Ca2+ influx into cells activates a number of enzymes, including phospholipases, endonucleases, and proteases such as calpain. These enzymes go on to damage cell structures such as components of the cytoskeleton, membrane, and DNA. In evolved, complex adaptive systems such as biological life it must be understood that mechanisms are rarely, if ever, simplistically direct. For example, NMDA in subtoxic amounts induces neuronal survival of otherwise toxic levels of glutamate.

Calorie restriction is a dietary regimen that reduces the energy intake from foods and beverages without incurring malnutrition. The possible effect of calorie restriction on body weight management, longevity, and aging-associated diseases has been an active area of research.

Molecular neuroscience is a branch of neuroscience that observes concepts in molecular biology applied to the nervous systems of animals. The scope of this subject covers topics such as molecular neuroanatomy, mechanisms of molecular signaling in the nervous system, the effects of genetics and epigenetics on neuronal development, and the molecular basis for neuroplasticity and neurodegenerative diseases. As with molecular biology, molecular neuroscience is a relatively new field that is considerably dynamic.

Neuroplasticity, also known as neural plasticity, or brain plasticity, is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization. It is when the brain is rewired to function in some way that differs from how it previously functioned. These changes range from individual neuron pathways making new connections, to systematic adjustments like cortical remapping or neural oscillation. Other forms of neuroplasticity include homologous area adaptation, cross modal reassignment, map expansion, and compensatory masquerade. Examples of neuroplasticity include circuit and network changes that result from learning a new ability, information acquisition, environmental influences, practice, and psychological stress.

Glutamate transporters are a family of neurotransmitter transporter proteins that move glutamate – the principal excitatory neurotransmitter – across a membrane. The family of glutamate transporters is composed of two primary subclasses: the excitatory amino acid transporter (EAAT) family and vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT) family. In the brain, EAATs remove glutamate from the synaptic cleft and extrasynaptic sites via glutamate reuptake into glial cells and neurons, while VGLUTs move glutamate from the cell cytoplasm into synaptic vesicles. Glutamate transporters also transport aspartate and are present in virtually all peripheral tissues, including the heart, liver, testes, and bone. They exhibit stereoselectivity for L-glutamate but transport both L-aspartate and D-aspartate.

Intermittent fasting is any of various meal timing schedules that cycle between voluntary fasting and non-fasting over a given period. Methods of intermittent fasting include alternate-day fasting, periodic fasting such as the 5:2 diet, and daily time-restricted eating (TRE).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Mosley (broadcaster)</span> British journalist, producer and presenter

Michael Mosley is a British television journalist, producer and presenter who has worked for the BBC since 1985. He is probably best known as a presenter of television programmes on biology and medicine and his regular appearances on The One Show. Mosley is an intermittent fasting and low-carbohydrate diet advocate who has written books promoting the ketogenic diet. He is not a dietitian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weight management</span> Techniques for maintaining body weight

Weight management refers to behaviors, techniques, and physiological processes that contribute to a person's ability to attain and maintain a healthy weight. Most weight management techniques encompass long-term lifestyle strategies that promote healthy eating and daily physical activity. Moreover, weight management involves developing meaningful ways to track weight over time and to identify ideal body weights for different individuals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nutritional neuroscience</span> Scientific discipline

Nutritional neuroscience is the scientific discipline that studies the effects various components of the diet such as minerals, vitamins, protein, carbohydrates, fats, dietary supplements, synthetic hormones, and food additives have on neurochemistry, neurobiology, behavior, and cognition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glutamate (neurotransmitter)</span> Anion of glutamic acid in its role as a neurotransmitter

In neuroscience, glutamate is the anion of glutamic acid in its role as a neurotransmitter. It is by a wide margin the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate nervous system. It is used by every major excitatory function in the vertebrate brain, accounting in total for well over 90% of the synaptic connections in the human brain. It also serves as the primary neurotransmitter for some localized brain regions, such as cerebellum granule cells.

Stephen F. Heinemann (1939–2014) was a professor of neuroscience at the Salk Institute. He was an early researcher in the field of molecular neuroscience, contributing to the current knowledge of how nerves communicate with each other, and the role of neurotransmitters. Stephen Heinemann died August 6, 2014, of kidney failure.

The relationship between diet and longevity encompasses diverse research studies involving both humans and animals, requiring an analysis of complex mechanisms underlying the potential relationship between various dietary practices, health, and longevity.

References

  1. "Mark Mattson". University of Iowa . Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  2. "Speakers: Neuroplasticity, Neuroregeneration, and Brain Repair". The New York Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "International Symposium to Honor Pioneer in Neuroscience and Fasting". National Institute on Aging. May 29, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2020. one of the world's top experts on the potential cognitive and physical health benefits of intermittent fasting
  4. von Bubnoff, Andreas (29 January 2021). "The when of eating: The science behind intermittent fasting". Knowable Magazine. doi: 10.1146/knowable-012821-1 . S2CID   234087270 . Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  5. "Fasting power: Can going without food really make you healthier?". New Scientist.
  6. "Fasting Guide". Thursday, October 1, 2020
  7. Mattson, Mark (2022). The Intermittent Fasting Revolution. MIT Press.
  8. Mattson, Mark (2023). Sculptor and Destroyer: Tales of Glutamate the Brain's Most Important Neurotransmitter. MIT Press.
  9. "BRAIN PONDERINGS podcasts". 10 March 2023.
  10. Harvie, Michelle; Pegington, Mary; Mattson, Mark; Frystyk, Jan; Dillon, Bernice (2011). "The effects of intermittent or continuous energy restriction on weight loss and metabolic disease risk markers: a randomised trial in young overweight women". International Journal of Obesity . 35 (5): 714–727. doi:10.1038/ijo.2010.171. PMC   3017674 . PMID   20921964.
  11. 1 2 Mattson, Mark (2022). The Intermittent Fasting Revolution: The Science of Optimizing Health and Enhancing Performance. MIT Press. p. 198 (Kindle edition).
  12. Does the 5:2 diet work?
  13. Marengo, Katherine (2019-01-28). "How to do the 5:2 diet". Medical News Today . Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  14. Michael Mosley: ‘No male in my family has made it beyond 72
  15. Mosley M (5 August 2012). "The power of intermittent fasting". BBC Health. Archived from the original on 16 February 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  16. "Horizon - Eat, Fast and Live Longer". BBC iPlayer. 6 August 2012. Archived from the original on 5 January 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  17. Wilson P (10 February 2020). "What the science says about the 5:2 intermittent fasting diet". ABC Everyday. Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 11 February 2021. This story, which was originally written by Pamela Wilson and published by ABC Health and Wellbeing, has been reviewed by Dr Rosemary Stanton OAM, nutritionist and visiting fellow, School of Medical Sciences, University of NSW, and was updated in 2019. Posted 5 Feb 2020, updated 10 Feb 2020